NO HOLD-UP

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 32, 8 February 1933, Page 7

NO HOLD-UP

.FOURTH TEST ON FRIDAY

M.C.C. TEAM'S ULTIMATUM

(By "Not Out.")

The breach which threatened to cur tail the present' series of crickei Tests in Australia evidently havinj been healed, the fourth Test, to b( played at Brisbane, is to commence-oi Friday, and, as in the case of h< °th?r Tests, will be played to a finish Although cabled advices were not yen definite on the' point, it is clear from -information received by mail that a demand was made on behalf .of the M.C.C. team for the withdrawal of the word "unsportsmanlike," used by the Australian Board of Control in its cabled -protest to the M.C.C. The position, as disclosed when the touring team was at Toowoomba last Thursday, was very serious. A very definite stand was taken in the matter of having the ill-used word withdrawn and it was indicated that there was to be no half-hearted or "constructive" withdrawal. D. E. Jardine, the English captain, was said to be mainly responsible for the insistence on the withdrawal of the word, his attitude being that there could be no more Test matches while the stigma thrown by the Board of Control still rested on1 the English team. ;An ultimatum from the M.C.C. team was sent through Mr. P. F. Warner joint-manager of tho team, to Mr. X T. Cru*chley (representative of the British Government in Australia), and through Federal Ministers to tho

Boai-a of Control. Part of Mr. "Warrior's telegram to Mr. Cruteliloy was as follows: — Members of' the English team are averse to playing in the fourth Test unless the word "unsportsmanlike" is withdrawn. . It was reported that the ultimatum was inspired by Jardine, Larwoo-d, and Mr. Palairet (joint-manager), ' aird that Mr. Warner opposed it. However, it was only natural for a. captain to have any stigma removed. There are reports that the matter has been "amicably settled," but the text of the 'board's message to thG M.C.C. dealing with the use of the word "unsportsmanlike" has not been disclosed. "MISCHIEF-MAKING MESSAGE." Commenting editorially upon the situation the Telegraph' (Sydney) stated:— "It is, of course, a thousand pities that that mischief-making and almosi incredibly inept message was ever sen.' in the name of the Board of Control This is the view of quite a numbei of members of the Board, in New Soutl Wales, and. elsewhere. As. to the re maining Tests the M.C.C. has .offered to cancel them, and the Board has declined, the offer with thanks. Tc that extent, therefore, the Board is ready to condone or accept what i( terms body-line bowling. As for the Board's unilateral committee to extirpate what, on its' own showing, does not exist, in Australia, except as introduced /'or inspired by the M.C.C. team, it had better be quietly dropped, And then, perhaps, Australia and Britain, as represented by, Cricketers Ministers of the Crown,' diplomats cricket administrators, and onlookers can get on with cricket and with.,even more important business. And the Board's temporary aberration may be forgiven, if not forgotten, by Britain And Australia had better get a new Board of Control." AUSTEALIA'S TEAM. Of the four new Test players chosen by Australian selectors for the match at Brisbane commencing on Friday, three will have places in the Test eleven, cabled advice to-day stating that Tobin, the South Australian allrounder, is to act as twelfth man. This means that the ' batting should be strengthened to some extent, in that Darling, Bromley and Love replace Fingleton, Grimmett and Oldfield. It remains to lie seen, however, whether Darling or Bromley will produce Test form up to that of Fingleton at his best, but there should he a distinct advantage in having two left-handed batsmen in the side. - Love is experienced enough to prove himself to.be a capable substitute for Oldfield both in 'keeping and in batting. The' Australian team, as finally selected, is as follows:—W. M. Woodfull (Victoria), captain. W. H. Ponsford (Victoria). D. G. Bradman (N.S.W.). L. S. Darling (Victoria). S. J. McCabe (N.S.W.). E. Bromley (Victoria). V. T. Eichardson (Sth. Aust.), yiceeaptain. " H. S. B. Love (N.S.W.). T. W. Wall (Sth Aust.). W. J. O'Keilly (N.S.W.). ■ H. Ironmonger (Victoria). B. J. Tobin (Sth. Australia.) twelfth man. _ The _ selectors evidently have much faith in Ironmonger as a bowler. He has done nothing out of. the way so far in the present series of Tests, and the chance of his "coming off" at Brisbane largely depends upon the conditions under which the ,match is played. Tho winning of the toss may have a more important bearing upoii the result than in the other Tests. In place of Grimmett the Australians will have to rely upon McCabe and Bromley, and,. if . necessary, Bradmau and Darling to keep up the bowling I strength. : M.C.C.'S TEST PRACTICE. ■, There is no indication as to what England's eleven will be, but it js not ' likely to differ much, if at all, from' that which was successful at Adelaide. The continued omission, of Tate is surprising. Vocc had au attack of influenza last week, and it is not known whether ho will bs fit enough' to play in tho Test. The team which' defeated Queensland yesterday appears to be very much like the side 'required for the Test, with the replacement of Bowea by Voce (if f.i), and no doubt the opportunity has been taken of giving the Test players match practice at Brisbane by playing them against Queensland. . The M.C.C. team has only to 'win this Test to achieve its object—the winning of tho Ashes. In the event of Australia winning at Brisbane, the fifth Test at Sydney will be the deciding match.